SongsTube Madonna

About "La Isla Bonita"

"La Isla Bonita" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album True Blue (1986). Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, with additional lyrics by Bruce Gaitsch, the song was originally presented by Leonard as an instrumental demo to Michael Jackson, who turned it down; Leonard then played it to Madonna, who liked it and wrote the lyrics and melodies. "La Isla Bonita" was Madonna's first song with Latin influences; its instrumentation features Cuban drums, Spanish guitar arrangements, maracas and harmonicas. The lyrics talk about an island named San Pedro; according to Madonna, the song is a tribute to the beauty of Latinos.

Upon its release as the fifth and final single from True Blue on February 25, 1987, "La Isla Bonita" was positively received by music critics. It was also commercially successful, becoming her 11th top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and second Adult Contemporary number one; it topped the charts across several countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom, where it became her fourth number one. In the accompanying music video, Madonna portrays two opposite characters: a young Catholic woman, and a flamenco dancer; academics applauded the clip for using Hispanic fashion and symbolism as icons of beauty and romance. Retrospective reviewers have rated "La Isla Bonita" as one of Madonna's best songs. It features on her compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009), and has been performed in seven of Madonna's concert tours. "La Isla Bonita" has been covered by multiple artists, including Ricky Martin and Alizée.